The Hindu 07.09.2010
Property tax: Mayor-led team to meet Rosaiah
Staff Reporter
| Pulusu Janardhana Rao holds a meeting of floor leaders on the issue |
It was decided to urge Chief Minister to cap the hike at 50 per cent
Opposition launches stir seeking withdrawal of the ‘steep hike’
VISAKHAPATNAM: Mayor Pulusu Janardhana Rao will lead an all-party delegation to Chief Minister K. Rosaiah to urge him to cap the property hike at 50 per cent according to a resolution passed by the general body of the corporation.
With the Opposition launching an agitation demanding withdrawal of the ‘steep hike’ in the property tax, the Mayor convened a meeting of floor leaders on Monday at which Municipal Commissioner V.N. Vishnu was present.
The Opposition demanded that the government be pressed to issue a GO limiting the tax hike at 50 per cent of the prevailing tax and expressed its resolve to continue the agitation till a rollback was ordered.
Mr. Vishnu is said to have explained that the corporation had committed itself in 2006 to revise property tax based on annual rental value as a part of reforms to take up projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Floor leaders — Ch. V. Pattabhiram (TDP), B. Eswaramma (CPI-M), A.J. Stalin (CPI) and Behera Bhaskara Rao (Congress) — participated.
Roll back sought
Telugu Desam maintained the State government had not been directly approached seeking a rollback. Its Floor Leader Ch. V. Pattabhiram was said to have insisted that if the Mayor felt something could still be done he should lead a delegation and explain to the government that the hike was steep and people were in no position to bear the burden.
The CPI (M) while opposing any hike reportedly stated that if some increase was effected in 2007 the overall quantum would not have been so heavy now.
The Mayor told the Opposition that respecting its views he would urge the Chief Minister to take the council resolution into account and seek a rollback. MLAs from the city would be invited to join the delegation. An appointment would be sought with the Chief Minister.
